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New Boxster Spyder

When Porsche released official pics of its new lightweight champion this morning, they bound to point out that the Boxster Spyder always be driven, loved, cooed-over with the top down.

Because like a great Hollywood leading man disgracing himself with a cheap toupé, this racing beauty was never meant to be covered up on top. In fact, we think with the ragtop in place the car looks awful.

But sling the cabin open to the elements, and the whole car’s dynamic aesthetics come alive.

It’s not only the Carrera GT like twin humps that rise provocatively from the rear three quarter of the car that floats out boat. It’s the fact that Porsche have produced a completely re-imagined, sports oriented Boxster for the legions of the faithful. Because in our opinion the bog-standard Boxster has become a bit of an eyesore on the streets these days. It has become an icon of aspirational motoring that fails by and large to live up to the nobility of the brand.

But no matter. A tweaked evolution of the Boxster S six cylinder rests just forward of the Spyder’s rear axle, and produces ten more horsepower than the engine in the S. But crucially, the extra power here will combine with around 80 KG less bulk, a lower centre of gravity and revised running gear to create a guaranteed tarmac hugger in the tradition of great GT racing Spyders of other eras, like the brushed steel cool of 1953’s 550 Spyder (pictured).

Porsche reckon the car will accelerate from 0-60 in around the mid-four second mark, and top out at 166 MPH (with the top down, of course). We particularly dig the retro detailing and the almost carnal rear three quarter perspective.

The Spyder will be available worldwide from february 2010, and will retail at around £44,500.

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